বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৫ এপ্রিল, ২০১৩

Switzerland shuts the door on EU migrants: A new 'us vs. them' in Europe?

News that Switzerland is capping residence permits for Western Europeans reached the Monitor's Europe bureau chief as she was having her own intolerable immigration experience.

By Sara Miller Llana,?Staff writer / April 25, 2013

A cafe is seen in Zurich is seen in this photo taken April 18.

Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters/File

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The anti-immigration class across Europe has found many new adherents as of late, especially in the most economically devastated countries, like Greece and Italy. But now these Europeans might themselves become the unwelcome migrants, at least in Switzerland.

Skip to next paragraph Sara Miller Llana

Europe Bureau Chief

Sara Miller Llana?moved to Paris in April 2013 to become the Monitor's Europe Bureau?Chief. Previously she was the?paper's?Latin America Bureau Chief, based in Mexico City, from 2006 to 2013.

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As I happened to be standing in the most intolerable immigration line that I've ever faced ? more on that later ? I read on my Twitter account that the Swiss government on Wednesday announced a new policy to cap residence permits for all of Western Europe. Switzerland, which is not part of the EU but joined the Schengen bloc that allows freedom of movement of people across European borders, says that it is being overwhelmed by arrivals from across the continent, to the tune of 80,000 people each year.

So it is invoking a ?safeguard clause? it negotiated during the 1999 Schengen treaty talk, which it already implemented for eight Central and Eastern European states. Now, as of May 1, residence permits for the citizens of 17 older EU states, from Germany to Spain, will be capped at 53,700 for a year.

According to the EU Observer, the Swiss said that the million-plus EU residents who live in the country have "had a positive impact ? in particular in terms of consumer spending and on the construction industry," but that restrictions are ?needed to make immigration more acceptable to society.?

The move drew immediate criticism from Brussels. ''The measures disregard the great benefits that the free movement of persons brings to the citizens of both Switzerland and the EU,? Catherine Ashton, EU foreign policy chief, said in a statement.

Is this a new manifestation of intolerance in Europe? The levels of resentment continent-wide against the migrants from Africa and the Middle East are already clearly documented, but in the midst of crisis, is Europe even excluding Europe? And what does that mean for identity and equality moving forward?

The possibility of a new, intra-European divide struck a chord for me, as I experienced my own "us vs. them" moment in France today.

Well, more than a moment. Eight hours, in fact.

That's how long I waited in a Paris prefecture along with Moroccans, Romanians, Malians, Senegalese, Tunisians, and Peruvians ? most of us, like me, there only to get information about what we needed to have with us, only to return and stand in line again.

I got to know my fellow immigrants well as we stood outside. Some around me had been in this line before, but were told they were missing a translation, a photocopy, or any of myriad document requirements that are not posted in their totality anywhere on the Internet ? or even on the wall of the prefecture where we line up ? but rather seem to be, at least from my informal surveys today, requested at the whim of whichever officer is behind the desk. One woman was told to bring back her CV.

Some of my linemates felt the French immigration officials were being deliberately obstructionist.

?They don?t want us to get the carte de sejour,? said the Malian, referring to the permission that allows foreigners to reside in France (and, with it, the right to tap into the country?s amazing social security system).

?They do everything they can to hold us back,? said the Romanian, who was on her third trip here ? and the third day lost on her job as a cleaning woman. Today, she was told that the pay stub she brought didn?t have the minimum number of hours on it, so she needed to bring in another stub. Another lost day of productivity for this poor woman.

Regardless of the motivations, one can see the "us vs. them" motif very clearly at the prefecture. On the one side, masses desperate to get in, and feeling unwelcome all the while. And on the other side of the glass wall, a society wanting to protect a social system that is replicated in few other places in the world.

By the end of the day in the unforgiving sun, some people were clearly losing their cool, me among them. (I, an American, was more indignant about the inefficiency than most, which makes me wonder if that?s a nationality trait, but that's a subject for another time.)

?But this can?t be!? I kept saying. ?How can people waste an entire day in a line ? and for nothing! Just to come back and stand in the line again??

?Welcome to France,? said the Malian, smiling.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/oDdxIU-utNE/Switzerland-shuts-the-door-on-EU-migrants-A-new-us-vs.-them-in-Europe

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US jobless claims data shore up markets

LONDON (AP) ? Solid weekly U.S. jobless claims figures shored up markets Thursday in the run-up to the first estimate of the country's first-quarter economic growth.

This week economic data have largely disappointed expectations. However, the 16,000 fall in weekly claims to 339,000 augurs well for next week's nonfarm payrolls report for April. Before then, investors will focus on Friday's release of GDP growth during the first three months of the year.

Growth is expected to come in at an annualized rate a little above 3 percent, way up from the previous quarter's 0.4 percent.

Michael Hewson, senior analyst at CMC Markets, said the risk is that investors are setting themselves up for "significant disappointment" if the growth numbers are low.

"Given the weakness of recent data it is somewhat surprising that this 3.1 percent estimate hasn't been revised lower, especially in light of the poor data seen in March, from employment, retail sales, existing home sales and durable goods yesterday," Hewson said.

Following the claims figures, European markets were trading more or less where they were before whereas Wall Street opened solidly.

In Europe, Germany's DAX rose 0.6 percent to 7,805, while the CAC-40 fell 0.2 percent to 3,835. Spain's IBEX underperformed all others, trading 0.8 percent lower after figures showed the unemployment rate climbed to a record high of 27.2 percent at the end of the first quarter of 2013.

The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was flat at 6,433 even though official figures showed the country's economy grew by a greater than anticipated quarterly rate of 0.3 percent in the first three months of the year.

Many in the markets were predicting that Britain would sink into its third recession in less than five years. But the rise eased expectations that the Bank of England will soon announce another big monetary stimulus. That gave the British pound a lift ? it was trading 1.3 percent higher at $1.5466 and near two-month highs.

Sentiment has held up this week largely because investors think the world's major central banks will continue with their super-easy monetary policies. That's increasingly the case in Europe, where investors think the European Central Bank will likely cut interest rates at its policy meeting next Thursday.

"The case for an ECB rate cut at the 2 May policy meeting is quite strong," said Neil MacKinnon, global macro strategist at VTB Capital.

Currency markets elsewhere were unspectacular, with the euro down 0.1 percent at $1.3009 and the dollar 0.1 percent lower at 99.37 yen.

Earlier in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.6 percent to close at 13,926.08 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng advanced 1 percent to 22,401.24. South Korea's Kospi added 0.8 percent to 1,951.60.

Oil prices were fairly flat too after recovering above $90 a barrel on Wednesday ? the benchmark rate was down 15 cents at $91.27 a barrel.

____

Pamela Sampson in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-jobless-claims-data-shore-markets-145707501--finance.html

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Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: spring 2013 edition

Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide spring 2013 edition

Stepping into a carrier's store can be like a visit to the candy shop for the gadget junkie, but once playtime is over and it's time to choose just one, the decision can get a bit overwhelming. You'll find Android phones that range in size from tiny to massive, Windows Phone handsets that cover the rainbow in colors and, of course, the ubiquitous iPhone, which has a price point to suit every need. There's also the latest BlackBerry, which melds a familiar name with a brand-new operating system.

Naturally, it's no easy task to sort through the wide number of options on the market today, and it's even more difficult to find the best of the best. That's where Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide comes in handy. Here, you'll find a very exclusive list of the smartphones that we confidently use and achingly desire. Regardless of your financial situation or platform preference, you're bound to find a stellar choice that's a great fit for your needs. So read on as we round up the very best smartphones of the season.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/CJNUef9OzxE/

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বুধবার, ২৪ এপ্রিল, ২০১৩

Find Effective Personal Finance Advice And Tips! | Sonipa.net

Finances can be stressful. Use this understanding to improve your life, remove the stress created by money problems and enjoy an improved credit rating. Whether or not you are experiencing this problem, you could still learn tips on how to organize your personal finances better, so you could save money as opposed to mindlessly spending it.

Make sure that you do not become overwhelmed with credit cards as this can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety. Once you are overextended with too many credit lines, your credit rating may go down and you may end up paying higher annual interest rates.

A good way to improve your finances is making an effort to pay monthly bills early each month. Paying off your bills early helps you to see the exact amount of money left over for spending and saving. You will spend less time stressing over whether or not you have enough money to cover bills if you need to make an unexpected purchase.

Don?t take out loans or lines of credit if it is unnecessary. Sometimes credit is necessary, but debt free is the way to be, so save your funds for big-ticket expenses in the future. Cars and houses are things for which most people need to get loans.

Saving Money

Saving money for an account is important for managing your finances. Maybe you are interested in funding the purchase of a new car, or a nice flat screen TV. You should also think about putting some money aside for your retirement. Saving money should become a habit; you should put a certain percentage of your income aside every month.

Always review your bank statements. This will help you see if any of the fees or rates have gone up. Many folks don?t review bank statements and end up paying more in fees than necessary. Read your bank statements to track this.

Look for creative ways to decrease your expenses, such as learning to give do-it-yourself haircuts. Your hairdresser might be doing a better job, but you can save a lot this way. Cutting your own hair and your family members hair is totally free.

Prior to purchasing a vehicle or home, make sure that your credit score is as high as possible. You can either take a small loan and pay it back quickly or get one or two credit cards and always pay them on time. Be sure to pay a larger amount that minimum.

Cut back on how much alcohol you drink so that you can prevent poor decision making that ruins your financial plans. Instead, drink water to keep your mind sharp for important decisions.

Review insurance plans. You might find that you?re paying a lot when it comes to your insurance. Another company may give you a cheaper rate for the same service. In addition, some insurance options aren?t necessary for people in certain stages of life. Trim the fat from your budget and put that money into savings.

Avoid investing in poorly performing stocks out of a sense of loyalty. Once you notice that one of your investments has been performing poorly for an extended period, consider getting out and shifting your funds to something stronger.

Use refunds from your income taxes to help repay existing debt. Resist the temptation to spend this money! Unfortunately, the money is spent quickly and the debt still remains.

The night before you get paid, make out your weekend budget. Then, when your paycheck comes on Friday, you will not spend any of it. If you do this, your entire paycheck will still be there on Monday instead of spending it on excesses and unwise purchases.

Cell Phone

One way to save money is to cut off your cell phone. Most people do not like this suggestion, but years ago, no one had cell phones and they all managed to survive. A cell phone is a convenience ? not a necessity. Start this process by taking a look at how many minutes you use and switch to a less expensive plan.

Stop drinking bottled water. Tap water is free and will save you lots of money. If you hate the taste of it, then consider buying a filter to install on your faucet. You could also buy flavored drink mixes to put into your water. Both things can help improve your tap water?s taste, which will motivate you to prevent drinking bottled water.

You can improve your finances dramatically by taking advantage of available discounts. Reconsider your brand loyalties, instead favoring products for which you have coupons. As an example, if Tide has normally been your detergent of choice, but Gain has a $3 off coupon available, choose the money savings.

Do not take on debt when you are trying to balance your personal finances. Sometimes you can?t avoid debt (e.g. education loans, mortgages) however, you should avoid debt such as that created by credit cards, as it can be deadly. The less money you borrow, the less you will have to pay in interest charges and other fees.

You should now know why it?s better to save and how to deal with miscellaneous expenses after going over this article. Do not be concerned if it takes some time to get your finances in order. Similar to when you may have tried to lose weight, nothing happens immediately. Be consistent and responsible and your situation should improve.

When it comes to what investment tools are there in the stock market, there is a load of information available. Make certain to start out with correct information. This article is a great resource about what investment tools are there in the stock market. Be sure to review the article a couple of times for complete understanding.

Source: http://www.sonipa.net/find-effective-personal-finance-advice-and-tips/

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Mark Pryor May Soon Have A Bloomberg Problem

Mayor?s Against Illegal Guns, the well-funded group co-founded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is seriously considering a months-long television, radio and direct-mail campaign against Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor, one of four Democrats who opposed expanding a background check for guns.

The goal: Make an example of him.

Senior members of Mayor?s Against Illegal Guns met at length Sunday to debate potential responses to the failure of President Obama?s gun regulation package, including a watered-down background check provision that fell five votes short.

In addition to Pryor, three Democratic senators abandoned Obama: Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. The group discussed targeting two of those senators: Pryor and Baucus, according to a senior official involved in the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity.?

Unlike the others who face election in 2014, Heitkamp was just elected to a six-year term. Begich was considered more secure politically than Pryor and Baucus, and thus a less attractive target.?Baucus announced Tuesday that he will not seek re-election.

That leaves Pryor as possibly the lone target of a campaign to convince Democrats that there is a price to pay for opposing modest gun regulations, even in a conservative-leaning state like Arkansas.

The broader goal of the Bloomberg group is to provide a political counterweight to the National Rifle Association which has had virtually unmitigated influence over Congress since 1994, when Democrats lost control of the House and blamed then-President Clinton?s assault-weapons ban.

The Bloomberg group is mulling a variety of messages and methods for Arkansas. One approach would be to target reliable Democratic voters, including African Americans, with advertising that calls out Pryor for ?opposing the president?s agenda,? the official said. Another would be to expand the campaign to suburban women and other moderates.The campaign might not be limited to the issue of guns.

?Money would not be an object,? the official said, adding that a decision on whether to target Pryor would come soon and that action against other Democrats is still possible.

The son of a popular former senator, Pryor is a brand name in Arkansas who nonetheless faces a tough re-election. The Democratic bench in Arkansas is shallow, which limits Bloomberg?s ability to impact the Democratic primary.

The risk to Democrats is that Bloomberg?s money could weaken Pryor for the general election, tipping the race to the GOP. On the general notion of sending Pryor a message, liberal columnist Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times recently wrote, ?It will mean electing someone who is even worse on guns and just about everything else, most likely the Club for Growth's emissary to Arkansas, Tom Cotton."

Brantley noted in an interview that Pryor supported Obamacare. On gun control, the veteran columnist said, ?Democrats aren?t that much different than Republicans in Arkansas.?

That will be the case for much of the 2014 midterms, when Senate elections will be fought predominantly in pro-gun territory ? Southern and Mountain West conservative states. The picture is brighter for Bloomberg and Obama in 2016, when Electoral College math favors those who back gun regulations.

Obama's political operation, Organizing for Action, is urging its activists today to tweet those who opposed Obama, including Pryor. There are no plans for an ad campaign against the four Democrats, an official said.

?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mark-pryor-may-soon-bloomberg-problem-230611229--politics.html

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Tart cherries linked to reduced risk of stroke

Apr. 23, 2013 ? For the millions of Americans at risk for heart disease or diabetes, a diet that includes tart cherries might actually be better than what the doctor ordered, according to new animal research from the University of Michigan Health System.

A class of drugs called PPAR agonists that help regulate fat and glucose was considered promising by doctors who prescribed them for patients with metabolic syndrome -- a collection of risk factors linked to heart disease and type 2. However, studies have shown the long-term use of these drugs can also increase stroke risk, which has prevented many from securing FDA approval.

The new research from the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory suggests that tart cherries not only provide similar cardiovascular benefits as the prescribed medications, but can also reduce the risk of stroke, even when taken with these pharmaceutical options.

The results, which were seen in stroke-prone rats, were presented April 23 at the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting in Boston.

The group's previous research has shown that intake of U.S.-produced, Montmorency tart cherries activates PPAR isoforms (peroxisome proliferator activating receptors) in many of the body's tissues. Researchers believe that anthocyanins -- the pigments that give the fruit its red color -- may be responsible for PPAR activation.

PPARs regulate genes involved in fat and glucose metabolism, and when modified can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. PPAR agonists, among them medications such as Actos (pioglitazone), act in a similar way but cardiovascular side effects have limited their use.

"Our previous research has shown that Montmorency tart cherries can have a positive effect on cardiovascular health and can reduce risk factors like high cholesterol and diabetes," says E. Mitchell Seymour, Ph.D., supervisor of the Cardioprotection Research Laboratory. "While prescribed drugs improve the outlook for certain risk factors, they've also shown to have undesirable side effects. We wanted to see if a tart cherry-rich diet might provide similar cardiovascular benefits without the risk of heart attack or stroke."

The researchers compared the effect of tart cherries and the drug Actos in stroke-prone rats by measuring the animals' systolic blood pressure as well as locomotion, balance, coordination, all of which can show the aftereffects of a stroke.

By putting the rats through various physical tests, such as walking on a tapered beam and climbing a ladder, the researchers found that compared to Actos, tart cherry intake significantly improved balance and coordination, and at the same time lowered blood pressure.

While the research results indicate that rats who consumed only tart cherries had the best results, those who had the combination of tart cherries and Actos also did better than those who only took the drug. Seymour cautioned that the results can't be applied directly to humans, but they are a potentially positive sign for those taking medications.

"We weren't sure if the risk for stroke would decline in animals taking both tart cherry and the drug," Seymour says. "It turns out that the cherries did have a positive effect even when combined with the medication."

Steven Bolling, M.D., a U-M cardiac surgeon and the laboratory's director, said the study adds to the group's growing body of research linking cherries to positive heart health. The results provide the groundwork for continued investigation into the topic, he says.

"This research is the first to link to cherries to a reduction in stroke-related symptoms," Bolling says. "It gives us a good preclinical model to further explore the positive stroke-related benefits of an anthocyanin-rich diet."

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/CXXrZPSXKLY/130423102129.htm

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Huawei tones down long-term expansion target for enterprise sales

By Yimou Lee and Lee Chyen Yee

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's No.2 telecoms equipment maker, toned down its long-term target for networking equipment sales to enterprises, saying a prior figure was too optimistic.

Eric Xu, Huawei executive vice president and one of its rotating CEOs, also voiced frustration with security issues that are thwarting the Chinese company in the key U.S. telecoms equipment market.

Xu said the company's enterprise unit, targeted for expansion as sales to telecoms operators turned sluggish, was aiming to boost sales to $10 billion by 2017, below a goal by Huawei executives last year of $15 billion. The division posted 11.5 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) in sales last year.

"If we can achieve $10 billion sales by 2017, that will be good enough for me," Xu told an analyst conference in Shenzhen, China, where the company is headquartered.

He said $10 billion was a more realistic target after assessing the market situation more closely.

"We now have a deeper understanding of the market," he said.

Huawei's enterprise unit, which contributed around 5 percent to total revenues in 2012, sells network gear to companies and corporations.

Its flagship carrier business, which accounted for nearly three quarters of its revenue, sells equipment to telecom operators.

Its consumer group sells handsets and tablets to end-users and has been rising in the ranks of the booming smartphone market to compete with high-profile brands such as Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

Xu also said on Tuesday that the company expects its IT business, which provides IT-related gear and services to enterprises and telecoms operators, to generate between $800 million and $1 billion in revenue this year.

The Chinese firm, founded by former Chinese military officer Ren Zhengfei in 1987, faces obstacles in the telecoms equipment business in the United States, Canada and Australia due to security concerns. Huawei is not allowed to sell telecoms equipment to U.S. carriers.

Last year, the U.S. House Intelligence Committee released a report urging U.S. telecommunications companies not to do business with Huawei and ZTE Corp, another Chinese equipment maker.

It said potential Chinese state influence on the companies posed a threat to U.S. security. Those concerns have benefited global rivals such as Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent SA and Nokia Siemens Networks.

Xu replied with exasperation on Tuesday when asked about U.S. congressional committee hearings on Huawei and ZTE.

"We are not interested in the U.S. market anymore. Generally speaking, it's not a market that we pay much attention to." He did not respond to a follow-up question about the company's continuing business selling mobile handsets in the United States.

($1 = 6.1826 Chinese yuan)

(Editing by Edmund Klamann)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/huawei-sees-enterprise-sales-rising-10-billion-2017-042421703--finance.html

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